The midland journal. (Rising Sun, Md.) 1885-1947, 1887-04-29
'ST' GE GOSSIP
THE WINDlUP or THE REGULAR
SEASON IN NEW YORK.

The Lucky Hit Made by the Rankins- Out
of the Valley of HardscrabbIe Into the
Uplands of Prosperity Theatrical Pros
poets fore Summer WaIIacI's New Move.
NEW YORK, April 22.-The dramatic
surprise has been the hit of 'sThe Golden
Giant at the Fifth-avenue Theatre.
Nobody had expected it. Mckee Rankin
and his wife, who play the star roles, are
quite as much astonished as anybody
else, dare say, because when they
made the same piece known in San Fran
cisco about year ago the critics APP
plauded it but feebly, and the public
patronized it only a week. Its New
York success came about quickly and
oddly. Stetson, of the Fifth-avenue,
had made up his mind to get rid of the
D'Oyly Carte "Ruddygore'' Company in
hurry; indeed, he closed their engage
ment SO suddenly that his haste we'll
nigh recoiled upon himself, for one day
he awoke to the startling conclusion that
unless he forthwith and in short order
arranged for an attraction to succeed the
singers his house would have to shut its
doors for time. I think he ran across
Charles Frohman just at this critical
period. Frohman is one of the trio of
Frohman Brothers, all of whom are
shrewd theatrical men and at least one
of whom-Daniel- lis possessed of con-
siderable ability. Charles Frohman is
a very active partner of w. w.
Randall IN the dramatic booking
firm of Frohman & Randall. 1t SO hap
pened that Rankin had been booked by
them for number of Eastern theatres
not gilt-edged houses, by the way, for
Rankin had been in poor luck, and, hav-
ing even made brief transit of the big
museums in the West, smart Eastern
managers were fighting shy of him.
Stetson, however, was urged by Froh-
man to give Rankin the open time at the
Fifth-avenue, and, without knowing any
thing of the play probably relying
wholly upon his personal liking for
the actors-the Fifth-avenue's manager
agreed to let 1.-THE Golden Giant" occupy
his house. But before the opening night
arrived he weakened to the extent of
limiting the engagement to two weeks,
fearing failure; and he was this time
far sighted enough to engage Mrs. Lang
try to follow, in Lady Clancarty"
Well, "The Golden Giant" came, and
was seen and conquered. / saw SPLEEN
did audience at the first night; profess
sional friends of the Rankins were there
in almost equal number with their public
admirers; and from both plaudits came
in no niggard measure. When / say the
play was early and easily recognized as
tumble of half a-dozen dramas of 40
days, and add that only three characters
in it were sketched with any approach to
clearness, you will begin to appreciate
the significance of the Rankins' hit; and
in that hit Mrs. Rankin shared first and
foremost.
Looking at Mrs. Rankin as she recited
the thrilling description of Bessie's fish
ing, / marveled that she had so success
fully retained her early sprightliness.
AS nearly as | can fix it, she came into
the world about 1847, and she must
have been a mere child when, as Kittie
Blanchard, she started on her stage
career by dancing in the ballet at Phila-
delphia concert saloon. Nor was it until
late in '63 that she began to give prom
Use of the artistic excellency that has
since made her one of our most popular
soubrettes. In December of that year the
chance came to her to play chambermaid
roles at Woods Theatre, Louisville, KY,
and she improved it wonderfully WELL
Just about six years later she married
Rankin, who, the son of an old show
man, had been since 81 carving his way
into the ranks of good actors, under the
nom de theatre of George Henley. The
Rankins have been in harmony ever
since, and their stage world has profited
by their domestic felicity. We are all
glad in this city that, after their misfor-
tunes of the past three years, they have
come back to the metropolis to get
warm welcome and substantial recogni-
ton.
Strange, isn't it, that when they left
here, in 1884, they went away virtually
bankrupted by the failure of their Third
avenue Theatre enterprise? Now that
.ankin has seemingly regained his old
grip, am told by his manager that he
means not to let go. He will try his
ALLAN Dare" by and by at the Four
teenth-street, and in the early fall his
SpcCIdCuldr MdcDetn Will DC acJou at
Niblo's, with the music written especially
for it by 'Frisco's rising musical genius,
Edgar s. Kelly. When Rankin put ON
Macbeth" in San Francisco during his
managerial experiment there, last year,
he succeeded in running it twenty
nights, splendid record, and one not sur
passed in this country, when Forests
Park Theatre twenty might revival, in
1643, hitherto bore the palm. Altogether,
it looks like sunshine for the Rankins
from now out.
Our dramatic season is closing quietly.
Ned Harrigan has just revived "Corde-
las Aspirations" with Dan Collyer in
Tony Harris old role of "Rebecca," and
it will easily wind-up the season at this
house, April 30. DAILY has concluded to
keep "The Tanning of the Shrew" on to
the end of his New York season, and |
Wallack's and the Madison-square will |
also close the same time. Wallack has |
been obliged to resort to his list of old |
comedies to help him out, for the bottom
fell out of the business of "The Domi- |
MES Daughter" and there was nothing |
else to do. AS / mail you this letter ] |
hear rumor on the Rialto to the effect